Acclaimed Liverpool-born writer Heidi Thomas heads up an impressive list of talent accepting the first ever commission of a theatre project from Liverpool Cathedral.

Heidi, creator, writer and executive producer of BBC drama Lilies and scriptwriter of Cranford amongst others, is to write a drama based on the life of Elizabeth Fry, one of the eight famous women that feature in the ‘Noble Women’ windows of the Cathedral’s beautiful Lady Chapel. Over 5 nights at the end of June, when the Lady Chapel celebrates its 100th anniversary of consecration, there will be the chance to ‘meet’ nine women through drama, art, music and dance. Theatre-goers will be taken on a small group journey right through some of the Cathedral’s most spectacular spaces, ending in the Lady Chapel itself.

The work that has been commissioned by the Cathedral in partnership with the Everyman and Playhouse Theatre will also feature the lives of Kitty Wilkinson, Josephine Butler, Agnes Jones, Julian of Norwich, Anne Clough, Angela Burdett Coutts, Christina Rosetti and Grace Darling.

Performances will run from Tuesday 29th June, the anniversary date itself, to Saturday 3rd July.

The Artistic Director for Walking through Windows is North West based Thea Soltau. A freelance arts practitioner with her own company her recent performances include ‘Episodes’’ with Pneumata Productions, Space to Breathe’ with Tim Ford Birmingham Rep and ‘Ish & Isha’ for Watershed Arts. Thea is passionate about telling the stories of those who have no voice or audience. Giving voice to stories which are often taken to the grave, of ordinary people surviving and overcoming extra-ordinary circumstances.

The individual pieces are

• A monlogue on Kitty Wilkinson which brings her washouse to life. Written by Julie McNamara based in part on her grandmother's recollections of the old workhouses.
• A dance theatre piece choreographed by Alice Robinson on the Agnes Jones, pioneer in community nursing. The piece includes a film produced by Nicholas Breakspear focussing on the homeless who can potentially be excluded from healthcare today
• Heidi Thomas' piece on Elizabeth Fry which illustrates the hope brought into one of the darkest corners of the nineteenth century.
• A contemporary theatre piece which has been devised and performed by pupils at Archbishop Blanch CofE School supported by Thea Soltau
• An art installation based on the life of the mystic Julian of Norwich, created by Kate Lloyd.
• A monologue featuring Josephine Butler written by Kate O'Reilly
• An interactive piece by Mandy Redvers-Rowe on the use of wealth and inspired by the life of Angela Burdett-Coutts
• In the Lady Chapel itself, poet Christina Rossetti’s words have been set to music by Cathedral Sub-Organist Dan Bishop, performed by the choir of Liverpool College
• Also visitors will encounter Grace Darling as they tour the Cathedral